Improvement in electro-mechanical printing-instruments



2Sheets--Sheet1.' H. R. M. l. HANSEN 8:. C. P. .IURGENSEN.

Electra-Mechanical Printing-Instrument.

N0, 163 190, I Patented May11,1875.

mmmmx %f/ fi 7 @mm Z//J THE GRAPHIC C(LPHOTO L|TH.39& 4| PARK PLACER-V.

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H. R. m. 1. HANSEN & c. P. lunaau sf a u.

Electra-Mechanical Printing-Instrument. No. 163,190, Paten dMayH.,18'75.

THE GRAPHIC C0.PNOT0LITH.39&4'I PARK PLAOLNX.

NITED STATES PATEN Fern.

HANS R. M. J. HANSEN AND CHRISTOPHER P. JllR-GENSEN, OF COPENHAGEN,DENMARK.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRO-MECHANICAL PRINTING-INSTRUMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 163,190, dated May 11,1875; application filed February 14, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HANS RASMUS MAL- LING J OHAN HANSEN and CHRISTOPHERPE- TEE JiiRGENsEN, both of Copenhagen, in the The object of thisinvention is to report by printing in full, or by any suitableshort-hand system, speeches or any oral or other com muv nication. Forthis purpose we employ an apparatus of the following description. It isit lustrated by the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a plan with the writing-ball removed. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the escapement. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of theapparatus; and Fig. 4 is a diagram, showing the arrangement of thecontact-pieces on shield T, with the electric circuits and connections;and Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are detail views of separate parts of theapparatus.

A A are two upright frames, between which is placed a clock-work withfusee B, having a tooth-wheel with one hundred and eighty teeth, gearinginto a pinion, I, having eighteen teeth, and a pinion, 0, havingeighteen teeth, also. The spindle of (J has a fixed wheel, 1), havingeighty teeth, gearing into the pinion E, which lies a little lower andhas twenty-one teeth. The spindle of E has a pinion, F, hay ingtwenty-seven teeth, and gearing into the wheel G, which has thirtysixteeth, and is fixed on the spindle O. This clock-work, the wheels ofwhich, of course,'

may be varied, drives the spindle O' and the wheel K (see Figs. 1, 4,and 6) in the direction of the arrows. Each tooth of this wheel touchesthe projecting tooth a, Fig. 6, on the steel spring I), carried by theframe L, which also carries an elastic tongue, 0, Figs. 1 and 4,insulated by means of india-rubber, and which, by the point (I, is inconstant contact with the nave of the wheel K. The enlarged part of thespindle 0, Figs. 1 and 5, has as many metal disks 0 as there arerequired letters and signshere twenty-six. The disks are placed at aslight distance apart. (See Figs. 1 and 7.) Between them, all round, arearranged flat sectors or wings f, Figs. 3 and 7, which are hung on pinsbetween each two disks. By the side of this disk-cylinder is theescapement-wheel P, Figs. 1 and 2, into which gears the escapement Q,hung on its axis h on the standards i i. This axis has aplate, B, Figs.1, 2, and 3, fixed toit, aprolongation of which passes between twoscrews, k and 10 on the frame S. These screws serve to regulate themovement of the escapement, which each time is drawn back into theposition of rest by the spiral spring t. The five columns which arearranged round the disk-cylinder, and which are shown in section on Fig.I, carry the ball U, Figs. 3 and 4, having a series of keys, at m, thelower points of which all lie in a straight line, a a, close over thedisk-cylinder on 0, Fig. 1. Each point is right over a corner of one ofthe said sector-pieces f, Fig. 6. The keys are held in position of restby spiral springs, Fig. 3, and have a knob, K p, to receive thefinger-pressure of the writer. Each knob has a letter, number, or signcorresponding to the type-lever system presently to be described. Theform of the key-points is as shown at Figs. 3 and 6, whereby the edge ofa point each time it is struck hits the plate R, while the extreme lowerpoint hits one corner of one of the sectors f, depressing same, andthereby raising the other corner. The depression of the plate R causesthe movement of the escapement.

The disk-cylinder is partly surrounded by a shield, T, carried by thestandard 1", Fig. 2, Fig. 7, and Fig. 3. The shield has a series ofmetallic current-contacts, which close or, according to circumstances,break the electric current during the working of the apparatus. They areshown at Fig. 5, and to an enlarged scale at Fig. 4. They are allinsulated from the shield by india-rubber. The electric current(direction left out of question) enters the metal piece 19 at bottom ofFig. 4, then passes into the thereto-connected piece b thence into thesteel spring 0 which at one end is screwed fast to N, and at the otheror free end (marked by a double circle) has a small ivory point, Fig. 7,which passes through a hole in the shield T. When one of the sectors f,by pressure on the keys during the movement of the disk-cylinder,touches the aforesaid ivory point, then the spring 0 is raised a little,so that it, till the sector f has passed by, does not rest on littlemetal point g on p and the electric current is broken. ()n the otherhand, when the apparatus is at rest, and the spring 0 rests on the pointq, then the current passes from the spring 0, through the point q;thence through 19 b the spring 0 (which, like 0 0 0 850., protrudesthrough the shield T,) from the spring 0 through the point 41*, through19 b 0 q, 850. The shield T has as many springs, 0 0 0 to 0 as the ballU has keys. The free end of each spring stands, while the apparatus isat rest, with its ivory point right over its sector f, and between itspair of disks 0, in diagonal direction around the disk-cylinder; hence,for instance, the end ofthesprin g 0 Fig. 4, stands the distance of onesector before the spring 0, and also the width of one disk to the rightof the end of the spring 0 s s, Fig. 1, is a drum between the standards2' 2'. It presses lightly against the disk-cylinder on 0, so that thecorners of the sectors f, pushed forward by pressing on the keys, arepressed back into their position of rest, passing by this drum.

The spindle 0, Fig. 1, has its hearing on the left-hand side in abracket, u, and has a bevelwheel, 75, gearing into wheel 8 t, which isfast on the spindle '1), having its bearings in the brackets uand w.This spindle carries a roller, 00, with milled edge, which drags thepaper band Z along, winding it 011' the roll 2g. The bracket to alsocarries another roller with milled neath the roller 0:, and by a spiralspring is pressed up against the under side of the paper band to assistits action.

The apparatus has a series of electro-magnets, 2g, which are placed intwo half-circles, twenty-six electro-magnets in all, corresponding tothe twenty-six keys in the ball U, and to the twenty-six spaces betweenthe disk. The latter may have a larger number, the ball more keys, andthe number of electro-niagnets may be larger in accordance. The longmetal arms 2d at one end are fastened to the curved flanges 2b, and arejointed at 20. The armatures 2d are fastened to the under side of thearms 2a. The curved flanges have screws 2f, each with a spiral springbelow, (not shown on the drawing,) which keeps the arm 2a and armatureup from the electro-magnets. 2h are regulating screws, the lower pointsof which touch each its arm, and thus prevent the spiral springs fromdrawing the arm 2a too tar up from the electro-magnets.

On the under side of the end of each arm which reaches over the paperband a type is applied, which is printed on the paper band each time theelectro-magnet attracts the armature. 21', Fig. 1, is a roller moved bythe wheel I, and round which is wound a carbonized piece of paper, whichis wound off the movable roller 276. This carbonized band goes under thetypes and over the two small rollers 2t and 2m, which hold the band at ashort distance from the paper band Z. When the carbonized band is woundon the roller 21', the latter is pushed a little to one side, so as tobe out of gear with the wheel I. Thereupon, by turning the mill-edgedscrew 2%, the carbonized paper runs oh the roller 26 and onto the roller2k. 20 and 219 are two small rollers, which hold the paper band 2 downagainst a bench, which the paper glides over, under the types. 2g is aroller, off which the paper band is rolled. It runs on two center-pointson the bracket 2r. Fig. 4 shows particularly the mode of applying thewires, and the motion and breaking of the currents. To make the drawingclear, only six pairs of electromagnets, with their six sets ofcontactpieces, (to an enlarged scale,) are shown. E 0 Fig. 9, is thenthe first electro-magnet couple, the same which, in Fig. 1, is denotedby 2g. A dotted ascending line from 6 denotes the arm 260 on Fig. 1, atthe end of which is the number 1, denoting that this arm at its pointhas a type with the number 1 on, which can be printed onto the paperband Z, (dotted) E e is the second electro-magnet, the arm of which canprint the number 2 on the band 2,

and so on. It is then here, for the sake of clearness, assumed that themachine prints numbers, and not letters. The contact-pieces p b 0 19850., drawn to an enlarged scale, have already been explained.

\Ve will now describe the wire-connections on Fig. 4. From any positivepole of an electric battery a wire passes through the pinching-screw251, Figs. 4 and 1, to the frame L, Figs. 4, 1, and 6, whence there isconnection through the arched spring b, Fig. 6, to the tooth a, Figs. 4:and 6. \Vhen the apparatus is at rest the tooth a is between two teethin the wheel K; but if one of the pistons m in the ball U be depressed,then the tooth 00 touches the point of one of the teeth in wheel K, andconnection is established from K through the spindle O, the point at,the spring 0, and thence through wire to the screw 0, whence two wirespass on farther. The one goes to the electro-magnet E winds round it,goes to 0 round the same to E round the same to 0 thence to E 850., toa, round the same, thence as d to the pinching-screw on thecontact-piece p thence as d to the negative pole of the battery. Theother wire coming from the pinching-screw 2;, Fig. 4, goes as d to thecontact-piece 19 A wire, (1 next leads from 17 to the wire which unitese and E Awire, d goes from p to the connecting-wire between 0 and E 850.

We will now describe the direction of current during the interruption ofcontact on the shield T, Fig. 4.. When one or more of the springs 0 0 00 860., while the machine is at work, is raised by the sector piece orpieces fin question, whereby the connection between the raised spring orsprings 0 and the contact-point q is broken oft, then, as long as thisconnection is interrupted, the tooth to stands on one of the teeth ofthe wheel K, and the electric current passes through this way, as willbe presently further explained.

For instance: Supposing the spring 0 be raised by one of the sectors j,which passes under it when the spring 0 is raised, then the connectionbetween 0 and the point (1 is in terrupted, while the connection isestablished between the tooth a and the wheel K. The current hence goesfrom the positive pole through L, Fig. 4, the tooth to, wheel K, spring0, and through the wire to E through the coils of the clectro-magnets E0 The armature then is attracted, and the arm prints the number 1 on thepaper band; from c the current goes to f; thence through (Z 11 o {[2193I)", &c., through all the contact-pieces of the shield to 12 thencethrough the wire d over the negative pole of the battery.

Second example: The spring 0 is raised hence the connection interruptedbetween 0 and Q6, the current passing from the positive pole through L ais d 0, wire V 61 12 b 0 Q1192 b 0 (12196, through wire 61 to f, throughthe coils E 0 the armature closes, and the number 6 is printed on thepaper band, whence the current passes through al the screw oup and thewire cl, into the negative pole.

Third example: The springs 0 and 0 are raised simultaneously; thecurrentthen passes from the positive pole the way just described to the screwV; thence through d p b 0 g 19 through the wire 01 to f through theelectro magnet coils E 0 through the junctionwire between 0 and Ethrough the electromagnet coils E 0 Both armatures of theelectro-magnets are thus simultaneously attracted, and the numbers 2 and3 printed on the paper band. From 6 the current goes through f 19 I) 0 pd and battery.

Fourth example: The springs 0 and 0 are raised sim ultaneously. Thecurrent then passes through L a K 0 d a; wire V 61 19 b 0 1 19 (1 fcoils E 6 from c to f through d to p b 0 19 wire df through the coils onE e, (the numbers 2 and 4 hence printed together;) through f d p b 0 $1919 d battery.

Fifth example: All springs raised simultaneously by the sector-piecescorresponding thereto. After that the current, by the usual route, hascome to the screw V. It passes to E and thence through all theelectro-mag nets, (hence all the armature-arms printing their respectivenumbers on the paper band, producing the number 654321;) from c to 0 thescrew on 12 and through it into the battery.

Sixth example: The tooth It stands on one of the teeth of the wheelK,while at the same time all the contactsprin gs are in position of rest,or all down. The current then passes to L; through a K 0 at 0V d p b o(1 850.; through all the contact-pieces to f, and thence through d tothe battery. The current in this case does not come to theelectro-magnets; hence no printing takes place.

Te will now describe the process of writing or printing by the means ofthis apparatus When the apparatus is at rest the tooth to stands betweentwo teeth of wheel K, and does not touch K; hence the circuit from thebattery is broken at this place. Secondly, the lower arm y, Fig. 2, ofthe escapement stands against the wheel P, and prevents the clock-spring from moving the apparatus.

Ve now propose to write the number 6132, and we use a machine having sixkeys, as at Fig. 9.

First, then, the knob. on piston 6 is depressed on the ball U, Fig. 3 5the consequence of this is-- First, the lower edge of the piston 6depresses the plate R, Figs. 2 and 6.

Second, the extreme lower point of the said piston depresses the rearcorner of the win g f underneath, Fig. 6, thereby slightly tilting upthe front corner.

Third, the plate It being depressed, the escapement is moved, the armyofsame slips out of the wheel, while the upper arm catches in betweentwo teeth of the wheel P.

Fourth, during the said escapemeut movement the clock-sprin g actsmomentarily, first, driving the axle O, the wheel K, and the diskcylinder (on which now a corner of the sector for piston 6 is pushedforward) half an escapement-tooth forward-not more, because the upperescapement-arm falls in and stops further movement; secondly, the paperband 2 is drawn half a letter width forward by the wheel and axis forthat purpose.

Fifth, the wheel K moving half a tooth, the tooth a comes to rest on oneof the flat teeth of the wheel, and hence.

Sixth, the circuit is closed through L and the tooth a; all thecontact-springs, 0 0 830., being at rest, the current passes the waydescribed in example 6; hence no movement of the armature and noprinting.

All the time, then, as long as the piston 6 is kept down, the apparatuscontinues in the described state; but when it is let go, then thefollowing takes place:

First. The piston ('3 is forced up again by its spring.

Second. The spring l, Fig. 2, draws the plate It up in position of rest.

Third. The plate R thereby draws the upper escapenient-arm, Fig. 2, outof the teeth on P, and the lower arm y catches into the wheel.

Fourth. The clock-springmeanwhile drives all the movable parts of theapparatus half a step forward.

Fifth. Wheel K is hence also moved half a tooth forward, and the tooth acomes again between two teeth, but without touching.

Sixth. Hence the circuit is broken again.

As just described, the movable parts of the ton l has gone one stepforward.

apparatus have made two half-steps forward, and hence the sector and thedisk-cylinder also a whole forward step.

On now depressing the knob 1, and letting go again, the same movementsand the same circuit are produced as described, withgut producing anyimpression on the paper and.

After letting go of the piston 1, the sector of which one corner waspushed forward by depressing piston 6 has gone two steps forward, whilethe sector of which one corner was pushed forward or upward bydepressing pis- The piston 6 is hence first depressed, then the piston1, then piston 3, and then piston 2. The firstmoved sector has thus nowbeen moved four steps, the second sector three steps, the third sectortwo steps, and the fourth sector one step.

' On writing further-that is, depressing the following keys--thesector-corner raised by piston 1. reaches its spring touches the ivorypoint, and raises the spring 0 so as to bring it out of contact with thepoint g This interruption of the connection between 0 and g happens justat the same time that a piston during the writing is depressed. Thecurrent must, hence, now go the route de scribed at example 1, and thearmature-arm then prints the number 1 on the paper band. Only, afterhaving depressed two more keys, then, during the third down-stroke, thetwo springs 0 and 0 are raised at the same time by their sectors, andthe current in the same instant passes the route described at example 6;hence the numbers 3 and 2 are printed at the same time on the paperband, which now contains the three letters 1, 2, and 3. The number 6,the piston of which was first depressed, is still wanting; but by merelydepressing a piston, m, the spring 0 is reached and raised by thesector-point pushed forth by at first depressing the piston 6. Thecurrent then passes along the route indicated at example 2 of the number6, is now printed on the paper band in front of the number 1, asdesired, giving the number 6132. The writer then strikes the knobs inthe order they are to be printed; but the armature-arms print first thenumber 1, whereupon the disk-cylin der moves two steps forward withoutprinting; then the letters 3 and 2 are printed simultaneously, and thenthe number 6 but the letters, nevertheless, stand in the right orderwhen printed. With ordinary writing, same as with depression of thepistons of the writin g-ball, the order of time of the lettersthat is,the order in which they are writtenis just the same as the orderin whichthey appear on the paper; but it is not so here, as the order in whichthe letters appear does not coincide with the order of printing of theseletters by the machine, as just described.

For further elucidation of this circumstance we must further remark:

If the arrangement of the piston-points is as follows:

0 q 3 u w a e t j e w 2 h l 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ll 12 13 g d b l m a r fv k t p s and consequently the piston-point 0 is the first from the leftunder the writing-ball, q the second, and so on, then the types of thearmature-arms stand in the same order from right to left, or 0 is thefirst on the right, Fig. 1, q the next, and so on; secondly, because ofthe diagonatarrangement of the ivory points, the

sector-point which is raised by depressing piston 0 has only one step tomake, the diskcylinder making one step forward for each piston-strokebefore it lifts its ivory point, causing thereby the simultaneousprinting of the letter 0 by the armature-type 0. (See description ofFig. 9.) The sector-point raised by pistonq is to make two forward stepsbefore its corresponding ivory point is raised and q is printed.

Based upon this we shall now be able to see in which order of time theletters in any word will be printed by the machine. Take the wordDanmarkz d a 71 m a r 7.:

The first row shows the order in which the keys are struck, and theorder in which they are to appear on the paper band. Each number in thisrow we indicate by the letter A. The second row shows how many steps thesector-point raised by the particular pistonstroke has to make before itcan lift its ivory point, or before the type in question is printed onthe paper band. It also shows, as just explained, the place of the typein its row, beginning from the right-hand side. Each number in this rowwe indicate by the letter B. The third row-the sum of A and Bindicateshow many pistonfstrokes will have to be made before the letter above thenumber can be printed; or, in other words, the sum indicates the orderof time in which the machine prints the letters. It also gives thenumber of that letter place on the paper band which is underthe firsttype in the row in that moment when the letter in question is printed.Each number in this row we indicate by the letter 0. Consequently, A BO, and G B A. The letter a in Danmark is printed after eightpiston-strokes; the second letter a is printed after elevenpiston-strokes; the letter 01 is printed after sixteen piston-strokes;the letters n and m (simultaneously) after twenty-two piston-strokes;the letter 1" is printed after twenty-six piston strokes; the letter isprinted after thirty piston-strokes.

As now described, the order the letters stand on the paper hand must bethe desired one, though the order of printing themis notcoinciding withit. We will, however, explain a little further. As each piston-strokecarries the paper band one letter space forward, and supposing thepiston cl be depressed, the first letter space must be under the firsttype to the right, and hence the type d, the fifteenth in the type row,when printed by the sixteenth piston-stroke, (that is, when-letter space16 on the paper band is under the first type to the right,) prints itsletter on the first letter space on the paper band; or, in general, itmay be expressed as follows: OB=A-that is, 16-l5=1, just as the questionabout the order of time is answered by the formula A+B=O.

A indicates the order of space; (J, the order of time. The order ofspace is decided in the same way; hence, d, first space; a, secondspace; a, third space; m, fourth space, and so on. As the piston-knobsare so arranged as to be convenient for all ten fingers, and theirstroke is only one and one-half millimeter, or less, a great speed forwriting is attained, (ten to twelve letters per second,) and as themovement of the types during printing is uniform to all, and very short,the writing becomes very fine and even.

The diagonal connection between both sets of pistons may be produceddifferently to the manner here set forth. The writing-keys may, forinstance, be made to perforate or indent a paper band having aprogressive motion, (instead of the rotary motion of the diskcylinden)the indents or holes acting mechanically, or by electric conduction tothe diagonally-arran ged points of junction between the two sets' ofpistons; or the writing-keys (instead of each of their points actingupon a sector, which is moved forward, fixedon the disk-cylinder, as setforth) may, through an escapement, let loose a weighty body, say a smalllead ball, from a vessel-the said body then, by a series of escapements,which are all moved by each stroke of the keys, being made to fall stepby step down onto a type-piston, which then prints the required letteror number; and in this case the electrical apparatus is dispensed with,since the weight of the falling body supplies the action of thearmature-arms attracted by their respective magnets.

By arranging each armature-arm 260 so that its movement will cause atype to fall out of a type-container into a conduit, receiving a motionsimilar to the paper band, the apparatus may serve as a printerstype-composin g machine; or the writing-ball pistons (instead of each oftheir points acting upon a sector, which is moved forward, fixed on thediskcylinder, as set forth) may, through an escapement, let loose aweighty body, say a small lead ball, from a vessel-the said body then,by a series of escapements, which are all moved by each stroke of thekey in the writing-ball, being made to'fall step by step onto anescapement, which frees a type from a type-container,

such type falling into a conduit moving under the type-reservoirs, andhaving a motion similar to the paper band under the type-pistons, thusservingalso as atypecomposing machine; and in this case, as in themodified writing apparatus above described, the electrical apparatus isdispensed with.

With slight alterations the apparatus can be so arranged as to write orprint on a sheet of paper wound round a cylinder, or upon a .sheet ofpaper lying upon a fiat surface or table, instead of the paper band Z,as here employed. The keys may also be arranged like the keys of apiano, instead of the arrangement here shown and described. Nor is thereany limit for the number of pistons, and hence the application of theapparatus will be very wide,

and not only for office-work and short-hand, but also as a printerstypecomposin g machine and telegraphic apparatus.

The following are the novel features in this apparatus: the set ofwriting-ball pistons or keys. and the set of armature-arm types; thecombination of these two sets by diagonal contacts; all thecontact-pieces, the shield, the disks, the sectors, the disk-cylinder,the contact-wheel, and its relation to the contacttooth aand, lastly,the whole arrangement of the electrical circuit.

What we claim as new in and with this ap paratus, which we call theTakygraph, is as follows:

1. The writing-ball U and keys K19, having their points of contactarranged in a straightv or diagonal line over the cylinder 0, as setforth, in combination with the disk-cylinder e, sectors f, the shield T,provided with a series of contact-pieces, arranged either in a straightor diagonal line, to correspond with the points of contact of the keys K19, substantially as specified, the escapement R, spindle 0,contactwheel K, tooth or, electro-magnets 2g, armatures 2d, armaturetype-arms 2c, and a clockwork, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

2. The writing-ball U and keys K p, arranged as deseribed, thedisk-cylinder 6, sectors f, the shield T, having a series ofcontactpieces arranged thereon, substantially as set forth, and aclock-Work, when used as a separate apparatus, and at any distance fromand in combination with the electro-magnets 2g, armatures 2d, armaturetype arms 2a, an escapement regulated by electromagnetism, and aclockwork, as another and separate apparatus, the two being connectedtogether by a series of wires of the same number as the keys K10, andsuch wires being joined in a cable, when the two apparatus may be usedas an electric printing-telegraph, substantially as set forth.

3. The disk-cylinder e and sectors f, in combin ation with the drum S,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. The writing-ball U, keys K19, disk-cylinder 0, sectors f, escapementR, and a clockwork, in combination with the pinion I, rollers 2 270 212m, having a carbonized paper band Wound around them, the armaturetype-arms 2a, and a moving surface, such as a paper band, Z,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The Writing-ball U, keys K19, disk-cylinder 0, escapement R, and aclock-Work, in combination with the spindle O, pinions t and s t,spindle V, carrying inilled edge wheel :10, and

the paper band or other moving surface Z, substantially as and for thepurposes described.

6. The rollers 2p, in combination with the paper band Z, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

HANS RASMUS MALLING JOHAN HANSEN. CHRISTOPHER PE PER J URGEN SEN.

Witnesses:

I. SoHoW, F. PETERSEN.

